Tread-section for antiskidding devices.



H. D. WEED. TREAD SECTION FOR ANTISKIDDING DEVICES. APPLICATION FILEDMAR. 2e, 190e.

1,079,907, Patented Nov. 25, '1913.v

l a. /7 M Mw 4 l 1 l (By,

HARRY D. WEED, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TREAD-SECTION FOR ATISKIDDING DEVICES.

notation Speciiication of Letters Patent;

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Applieation mea March 26, isos. serial No. 423,323.

This invention relates to certain improve-'- ments in tread sectionsforanti-skidding devices adapted to be applied to the periphery of thetires of vehicle Wheels and particularly to either-pneumatic or solidrubber tires. y

My main object is to increase the longevity and durability of the treadsections of those parts of the anti-skidding device which extend acrossthe tread of the tire and commonly known as cross chains and stillpreserve the full flexibilityof the tread sections in .all directions.

Another object is to make the tread section as an integral unitconstituting an article of manufacture adapted to be sold and used inconnection with circular side pieces or other means for holding them inplace upon the tread of the tire.

A further' object is to constructthe inter? locking ends of the links ofthe cro-ss chains in such manner that they may readily flex havingsimilar wearing surfaces projecting from the inner and outer faces ofsome ofv the links so that the tread sections may` bel reversed upon thetire.

Other objects and uses relating to specificA structural elements will bebrought out in:

the following description.

In the drawings--Figures land 2 are respectively a top plan and a sideelevation of one of the cross cha-ins or tread sectionsshowing the novelfeatures of the construc. tion of the links and also showing modifiedforms of wearing elements applied to andi thickening'the intermediateportions of the tread. Figs. 3, 4.- and 5 are'transverse sectional viewstaken respectively on lines,3-3, 4-4 and 5 5, Fig. 1. Figs'. 6- and 7are respectively a top plan and a side elevation of a tread sectionshowing further modifications of wearing elements, one of said wearingelements being shown in section in Fig. 6. Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 aresectional views taken respectively on lines 8 8, 9-49, 10-10 d and11-11, Fig. 6. Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a top plan and a sideelevation of a portion of a tread section showing still further4modified forms of Wearingelements and Figs. 14 and 15 are sectionalviews taken respectively on lines 14-14 and 15-15, Fig. 12. y

In Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive I have shown the greater portion of a treadsection which may be of any desired length according to the transversewidth of the tire to which it is applied and which in this instanceconsists of a cha-in composed of a series of similar open Wire links 1-having the .intermediate port-ions of their sides disposed insubstantiallythe same flat plane and their ends twisted in oppositedirections and interllocked with each other, said interlocking endsbeing rounded or curved constituting universal joints to permit them toflex radially in all directionsone upon the other. These tread sectionsor cross chains are adapted to be drawn transversely across and upontheperiphery of the tir'e, not shown, with their ends attached tosuitable attaching element-s, alsonot shown for the reason that theattaching elements form no part of'my present invention, and the treadsections are adapted to be attached at the ends to any suitable deviceholding them in operative position upon the periphery of the tire.

The interlocking ends of the links are twisted slightly in oppositedirections in such manner as to permit all of the links to lie flatwiseagainst the tire as best seen in Fig. 8, in which itiwillbe observedthat the ends of the. links form reverse or compound curves which aredeflected from the plane ofthe intermediate portions of the links adistance not exceeding the thickness of the links thereby permitting theends as well as the intermediate 'portions to remain nearly flat'against the tire and When adjusted for .use this manner of twisting thelinks brings the interlocking ends into close engagement with each otherand prevents said links from turning edgewise upon the tire; that is theresistance to turning edgewise is inherent in the'interlocking ends ofthe links and lnot so much by reason of the fact that the links lieflatwise upon the tire l thereby relieving the tire of much of the wearincidental to the engagement of the edges of the links therewith.

In order to increase the longevity of the tread sections one or more ofthe intermediate links at the center of the tread which is subjected tothe greatest wear is or are thickened by adding extra material theretoeither in the form of extra wearing plates as shown in Figs. 1 to 5inclusive and' Figs. 9, 11 and 12 to 15 inclusive or by simply enlargingthe intermediate portion of the links as shown in Fig. 10.

'In Figs. 1 and 2 I `have shown a series of in this instance, three, ofthe links as provided with different forms of wearing elements -2-, -3and -4-, the wearing element -2- consisting of opposite similar metalplates -5- applied to opposite sides of the intermediate portion of oneof the links 1-, each of the plates 5- being provided at one end with atongue -6- and at its opposite end with a groove -7-, the tongue of oneplate fitting into ,the`grcove of the other plate as best shown -in Fig.l, said tongues being bent aroundr opposite sides of the link andtheopposite; sides of the ends of the plates in which the grooves areformed are similarly bent around the adjacent sides of the links therebyclenching and firmly retaining the plates upon said link. The wearingelement 3 issimilar to the wearing element -2- in that it consists oftwo opposed wearing plates secured respectively to the inner an outerfaces of the intermediate portion of the adjacent link 1 but in thisinstance the meeting faces of the plates are substantiallv midwaybetween the inner and outer faces of the link while intermediateportions of the plates are secured together by a rivet -8- passingthrough apertures in said plates substantially midway between theopposite sides of the link) as best seen in Fig. 4. The wearing element-4- preferably consists of a flattened tube embracing the intermediateportion of one of the links and having its central portion iattenedbetween the opposite sides of said link for firmly retaining it inplace. Ineach of these modiications it will be seen that the inner 'and:louter faces of the wearing elements 2 2,

-3 and 4- are similar, which permits the entire tread section to bereversed so thateither side may be applied next to the tire and when oneside becomes worn the treadmay belinverted or reversed andthe unwornslde placed outermost thereby prac* tically doubling the life of thetread section without materlally mpairing the integrity'- ofthe entiretread section or links of which it is composed. The advantage of 'thisconstruction will be clearly apparent when it is considered that in theordinary cross chain which is now in common use and made of site side tobe used twisted links, the wear comes almost wholly upon theinterlocking endsy of the links whereas in my present structure thiswear is borne entirely by the thickened portions of said links at theintermediate portions and not at the interlocking ends of such links.

In Fig. 6 I have shown three modified forms of wearing elements -9-,-10` and -11- which are also seen in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 respectively,the wearing elements -9 consisting of separate metal tubes which areclamped around and upon opposite sides of one of the links and areusually split through one side to enable them to be readily wrapped orfolded around and upon the sides of said links. The wearing elements -10are preferably formed integral with the intermediate portions of one ofthe links as best seen in Fig. 10 which is accomplished bysimplythickening said intermediate portions. The wearing element -11-preferably consists of a separate metal plug or insert fitted betweenand embracing opposite sides of the adjacent link but projectinginwardly and outwardly beyond the plane of said sides, the edges of thewearing plate -11 adjacent the sides of the links being curved forreceiving said sides and retaining the element or insert l1- inoperative position.

In Figs. l2 and 13 I have shown further modifications of wearingelements -14- and 15-' which surround and embrace the opposite sides ofintermediate portions of sheet metal links -16'-. The wearing plate I4-is preferably made of sheet metal bent around the intermediate portionof one of the linksA -16- and secured thereto by rivets -17- as bestseen in Fig. 14 in which instance the opposite sides of the intermediateportion of the link 1G- are attened and provided with apertures forreceiving the rivets -17- whlch are passed through similar apertures inthe inner and outer sides of the plate 14. The wearing element -15- isquite similar to the wearing element 14%, that is it is formed of sheetmetal such as steel and is folded around the intermediate portion of theadjacent link with its ends abutting at one s1de of said link andsecured to the adjacent side by a' rivet -18-. In all of these severalmodilied structures, the inner and outer sides of the wearing elementsare similar and project uniform distances inwardly and outwardly fromthe4 lane of the intermediate portion of the link, thus permittingeither side to be applied to the tlre and the oppoas the wearin surfacewhich relieves the interlocking en s of the links from excessive wearand materially increases the life of the tread section.

4It will be obvious from the foregoin des'cription that in all of thesemodifications,

` to or by enlarging the sides of the link as shown in Fig. 10, thepurpose in each case being the same, viz. to allow all of the links tolie fiat-wise against the tire and to increasel the longevity of thetread without interfering in any waywith its flexibility in all di'rections, the particular twist of the interlocking ends of said linksaffording such flexibility and at the same time preventing any one ofthe links from turning edgewise upon the tire when the tread is adjustedfor use.

What I claim is: l

l. A tread section for anti-skidding devices comprising a chain havingthe greater portion of the opposite sides of its links disposed in thesame plane and its ends twisted.

2. A tread section for anti-skidding devices comprising a chain having-the greater portion of the opposite sides of its links disposed in thesame plane and its ends twisted in opposite directions.

3. A cross chain for anti-skidding devices having continuous open wiretread links, -the central portions of which between 'and exelusive oftheir ends are provided with extra wearing material, said ends beingdisposed at an angle to the plane of the central portions of vthe links.

4. An anti-skidding cross chain for tires having the opposite ends ofits links twisted and the central port-ion of at least one of the linksbetween and exclusive of the ends provided with extra wearing material.

5.. An anti-skidding cross chain for tireshaving the greater portion ofthe opposite sides of its tread links disposed in the same flat planeand reinforced with extra metal and their ends twisted.

6. An anti-skidding cross chain for tires, said chain being composed ofsolid open Wire links, each link having its opposite sides disposed inthe same flat plane and its ends twisted relatively theretoyand extrametal applied to the opposite sides of said links between and exclusiveof the twisted ends.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st dayv of March1908.

HARRY D. WEED.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, CAROLINE MCCORMACK.

